Today, Oct. 24th, is the 76th Anniversary when men from Company F 108th Infantry departed from the Medina Armory on Pearl Street for active duty training. They marched to the railroad station after being mustered into Federal Service by President Roosevelt. Imagine the emotions as Medina bid farewell to the Boys of Company F on that day through these images and the handwritten captions from the photo album of Rita Fox…
It is appropriate that we recognize this date to commemorate our local men—our “greatest generation” —as we get set to begin building the second phase of our monument project at the Armory, honoring ALL the men who served out of this building during its history as Company F and later as Company C 1/174th Infantry.
Phase II will be the erection of a soldier dressed as the men were that day, October 24th 1940—when they left for training not realizing that war would be declared by the U. S. after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and that they would not return home again for five long years.
With the generous contributions of many in the community especially the recent “Diamond” level donations received from Mr. Carl Petronio and the VFW Lincoln Post #1483 (Medina), we are now getting closer to reaching our first goal of Phase II—to commission the creation of the statue. (Read the full list of Phase II supporters.)
It is also an appropriate time to recall Veterans Day on 11 November and the hundredth anniversary of the U.S.’ entry into World War I this coming year. Thank you for your support in honoring our local servicemen, both past and present.
